KHAWDASH

"Until Later"

2010-09-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

I have been feeling like the Lord was wanting me to "simplify" my life somewhat. I felt like He had spoken to me to stop writing the blogs, at least for now.

I am keeping the blogs open because you never know when there might be something that He impresses on me to share with you. This blog was started to share some of the "nuggets" that the Lord has taught me over the years. Since I am in an ever-learning process, I know that this is not the end of this blog... just a temporary parting of the way.

How appropriate that I am writing this here now because one of the things that I am learning is how to let go when I need to, and when directed by the Lord to do so. Letting go is not always something that we might want to do, but when we know the Lord has spoken to us to do so... obedience is better than sacrifice or our own desires.

"Simplest Key to Victory"

2009-05-25T07:12:00.000-07:00

If you love… you’ll win.
If you fight… you’ll lose.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Matthew 5:44

"Open"

2009-04-26T13:55:00.000-07:00

Open your ears that you may hear the words He has to say.
Open your heart that you may feel His presence every day.
Open your eyes that you may see what He has in store,
for those who will open up themselves, He’ll show you more and more.

"Faith"

2009-04-20T15:25:00.000-07:00

Faith hears assuring words when not a word is spoken.
Faith sings aloud with joy when every heart is broken.
Faith sees good things to come when not one thing appears.
Faith tells of hopeful dreams when others embrace fears.
Faith smiles when skeptics frown, and faith always believes-
Shouting, “It shall be done”, and faith always receives.

"Walking in This World- Seeing or Hearing?"

2009-04-14T07:51:00.001-07:00

In this word it’s all about what you “see”. We act according to what we see, we make decisions based on what we see, we call it according to what we see, we believe everything we see- “seeing is believing”. (What you see is the way it is.)

In the kingdom of God it’s all about what you “hear”. What you hear from God is the way it is. Therefore, we should act according to what we hear, we should make our decisions based on what we hear, we should call it according to what we hear, we should believe what we hear- “hearing is believing”.

“(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” 2 Corinthians 5:7
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

"Why People Break"

2009-04-06T06:47:00.000-07:00

An oak tree in our yard so stately-like in form,
Stood strong and straight until it crashed amidst a storm.
Nearby our willow tree bowed low to every wind,
Until the storm passed by then straightened up again.
Like people I have known, oaks crash in fiercest wind,
While bowing willows live…
Things break when they won’t bend.

"Faith"

2009-03-30T05:56:00.001-07:00

"A Wise Old Owl"

2009-03-23T08:45:00.001-07:00

A wise old owl set in an oak.
The more he saw, the less he spoke.
The less he spoke, the more he heard.
Why can’t we be like that wise old bird?

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” James 1:19

"Broken Things"

2009-03-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

When something is broken, we usually see it as valueless and discard it. Not so with God, broken things are what He is looking for- those are the things that He can use and get the most glory from.

The alabaster box was broken and it’s fragrance filled the room. Your life is like an alabaster box. It is filled with the fragrance of Christ. Until you are broken, Christ fragrance cannot fill the room.

The stone in the wilderness was broken and water gushed from it to satisfy the thirst of a whole nation. Your life is like a stone that is full of water (the Living Water) and when you are broken those waters gush out to satisfy the thirsty soul.- “He who drinks of this water will never thirst again.” (John 4:14)

Gideon’s clay pots were broken and revealed a light that was in them. You are a clay vessel that holds the Light of the world. When you are broken that light is seen by those who are in darkness.

Bread was broken at the Last Supper. You are like bread that God desires to use to feed those who are hungry for more than this life has to offer. When you are broken and passed around to the hungry, they can “taste and see” that the Lord is good.

Jesus was broken and salvation was available to all men. We too are to follow His example and submit our wills to be broken so that the Father may be glorified. As we are broken, then we can truly say, “It is not I that liveth, but Christ that liveth in me”. And He is seen and glorified by all.

"A House That's Built On The Sand"

2009-03-06T17:41:00.000-08:00

Woe is me, we cannot stand;
A house that’s built upon the sand.
The winds howled, the seas roared;
The enemy came knocking on the door.
Come in they cried out of despair;
They thought the thief would surely care.
They looked to the one who would steal and had stolen;
To give them help in times of storm.
Our hearts be troubled, all hope seems lost;
We’ll pay you what you ask, no matter the cost.
I come to take all I can;
From every boy, girl, woman, and man.
They gave him all, every morsel they had;
And cleave to the hope of his sheltering hand.
But the thief took from them everything;
Then opened the flood gates and let in the rain.
Shaken and tossed by every wave;
Took it’s inhabitants to the grave.
Woe is me, we cannot stand;
A house that’s built upon the sand.

"Have Patience"

2009-03-04T06:38:00.001-08:00

When my daughter was growing up, we listened to lots and lots of children’s Christian songs. We kept lots of cassette tapes with us and played them every time we got in the car. When I was a children’s pastor, I listened to lots more children’s Christian music. Many of these songs have stuck with me- just like the songs I learned in church when I was a little girl.
There is one of those songs that I learned when my daughter was little that the Lord uses when I catch myself becoming impatient. Each time I am, I can hear it “singing” in my thoughts. “Have patience, have patience, don’t be in such a hurry. When you get impatient, you only start to worry. Remember, remember, that God is patient too… and think of all the times when others had to wait for you.”

He uses this little song to convict me of my impatience, and remind me to be patient. He is so patient with me. I am to be patient with others. When I am, I reflect His nature and character… and He is glorified… and my peace is restored. I am so glad that God uses “foolish” things– even a children’s song– to help develop His likeness in me. “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” (1 Corinthians 1:27) “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)

"Blessed"

2009-03-03T18:22:00.000-08:00

The Lord showed me that blessings don’t necessarily mean “things”. You are blessed even if you have nothing. I looked up the word blessing, it meant: benediction, to speak, to invoke a benefit on someone.

I am blessed because God “said” I am blessed. There are tangible blessings, but even if we don’t have them or see them– we are still blessed.

"New And Renewed"

2009-03-02T09:51:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered the word- KHAWDASH. It’s a Hebrew word translated “new”,- the root meaning of which means to “renew”, “repair”, “rebuild”, “restore” with secondary, adjectival meanings of new and fresh. When Jesus Christ came into my life, that is exactly what He did… he made me a brand ‘new’ person. Since that time He has continually ’refreshed’ my soul. Daily, as I follow Him He ‘renews’ me with strength and gives me times of rest and ‘refreshing’ when I am weary. He is the “Breath of Fresh Air”.

When we come to Christ, there is a “metamorphosis” that takes place in us. We are changed like the caterpillar into a butterfly. This changes takes place in us spiritually– it’s called the ‘new birth’, or being ‘born again’. Unlike the butterfly, the difference for us is that it doesn’t stop there. We are in a continual state of change. “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord- who is the Spirit- makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” (2 Cor. 3:18- NLT)

I would like to share with you some of the simple, but powerful, truths the Lord has given me over the years that have, and are still, helping me in my “transformation” to be conformed to His image. After all, the goal of a Christian is to be transformed into the image of Christ so that through my life others may be able to “taste and see that the Lord is good”, and desire to have Him in their life as well.